A new Secretary of State for Families and Children could be the solution we need to transform family policy

Andy Burnham has a new Cabinet and a fresh mandate to lead the country. But what hasn’t changed are the challenges facing the nation - not least those affecting our babies, children, young people and families.

That’s why we believe that, alongside establishing his new Cabinet, the PM should also introduce a new post: Secretary of State for Families and Children, who can coordinate policy across Whitehall and create a real impact.

It’s needed now more than ever, because family policy stands at a crossroads. Starmer’s legacy will have a lasting impact on families. The expansion of Family Hubs offers a great opportunity to embed a new model of integrated, family-centred support - one that is cross-departmental and rooted in evidence. Work has started on important reforms outlined in the Best Start in Life Strategy, introducing a social media ban, reforming social care, addressing child poverty, and establishing a commitment towards improving school readiness.

However, much of this work remains unfinished and the momentum can’t stop now. Burnham must build on this progress and create a more coherent system that delivers for everyone.

At Triple P, we understand that parents are key to shaping a child’s emotional, social, and behavioural development, and evidence-based tools can be a great way to help confidently manage life’s challenges. Never has it been harder to be a parent, and we must give families the tools to thrive.

By creating a new Secretary of State focused specifically on the outcomes of children and families, Mr Burnham can finally create a system that works cross-government rather than within silos. Spanning across departments like health, education, justice, work and pensions, we can support families and children before crisis point and work to prevent them falling through the gaps. At Triple P, we know what happens when families get the right help at the right time - children thrive, families are more confident to manage life’s challenges, and the burden on our education, health and social care systems starts to ease. The benefits are clear.

We also know what happens when that support isn’t available. Our recent survey of practitioners, conducted last year, found a 58% increase in the number of parents seeking parenting support over the previous 12 months due to concerns about screen time. When asked about the concerns raised by parents, 82% of practitioners said that parents most frequently cited exposure to inappropriate content as a challenge associated with increased screen use. In comparison, 80% said parents most frequently raised concerns about the impact of social media on children's mental health. We must provide parents with the tools they need to support their children.

Digital parenting support programmes can be a lifeline, and the evidence is compelling. Since the rollout of Triple P’s Online programmes was commissioned in Australia, more than 690,000 families have engaged in evidence-based support, with Deloitte reporting a 7:1 return on investment over four years, with every dollar spent on supporting parents saving seven across health, education and social care. That’s because digital parenting programmes are universally accessible by design, resolving the postcode lottery we still see across our systems. As a result, the impacts can be measured across different departmental priorities, from health to justice. Happier, healthier children grow into happier, healthier adults, who are less likely to need state support in later life. Australia shows us what coordination of support can look like.

A new Secretary of State dedicated to families and children can provide the same kind of benefits. Coordinating and overseeing the huge array of different programmes and strategies being delivered at the local and national level, ensuring they are delivering for all families.

Burnham has a rare opportunity to reshape how the government supports families. Creating a Secretary of State for Families and Children would send a powerful signal that children’s outcomes are no longer the responsibility of one department, but the shared mission of the government as a whole.

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Associate Professor Matt Buttery is CEO of Triple P UK.

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